World Vision Malawi use stars Wadabwa, Mpinganjita as role models

There were wild celebrations for the youths of Traditional Authority Chamba in Machinga District when two sports personalities Peter Wadabwa, who plays for Be Forward Wanderers FC and Tigresses netball team Beatrice Mpinganjira stormed the area during the launch of an HIV and AIDS trophy courtesy of World Vision Malawi.

Wadabwa and Mpinganjira were guest of honours-Jeromy Kadewere

Peter Wadabwa addressing the pupils-Jeromy Kadewere

Beatrice Mpinganjira doing some pep talk to the pupils-Jeromy Kadewere

Peter Wadabwa in a group photo with one of the participating teams-Jeromy Kadewere

Beatrice Mpinganjira pose with the pupils in a group photo-Jeromy Kadewere

The trophy which is worth $7,500 (K5.5 million) will be competed by all schools in T/A Chamba area with the winner expected to buy school learning material worth K1.5 million.

World Vision Malawi District Health and Nutrition Coordinator for Machinga and Zomba District said the tournament is a direct response to the call by World Vision President’s to root out all ills impinging on the wellbeing of children.

He added that this is under the new campaign called, ‘It takes a World’.

Pupils were more excited when it was time for Wadabwa to address them.

Wadabwa,who is one of the biggest footballers in Malawi,emphasise the importance of education to the pupils.

“You are lucky to have chairs to sit on and toys to play with, because during our time, we were sitting on the floor and there were no toys,” Wadabwa said jokingly to the children, referring to his rough childhood in this impoverished neighbourhood in Thyolo district near the commercial city , Blantyre.

Overjoyed children thronged around him as he answered their questions, and he hammered home the idea that education was the key to everything in life – even football.

“Attending school teaches you new skills to solve problems everyday. Football is the same; you have to keep learning new skills and work hard to perfect them,” he told the children. “So remember, school is the first step in anything you want to become in life – even a footballer like me.”

Tigresses enterprising centre, who also plays for Malawi Queens Beatrice Mpinganjira urged parents to send their children to school saying one day they will look after them when they grow old.

“If you send your children to school, they may have the opportunity to become doctors, lawyers and even the President one day; and they will look after you when you grow old,” Mpinganjira said.

“Even myself I learned the basic skills of the game at primary school but what you should know is that netball and school go together,”She told the crowd of young cheering students. “But you, too, have to remain in school and study hard – if you want your dreams to come true.”

Wadabwa and Mpinganjira visited Chikala School as part of a larger awareness organized by World Vision Malawi to raise awareness on the ‘Quality Education for All Children’ campaign.